Gay marriage proponent assaulted

[BenL]

Worcester (MA) rally takes ugly turn: Gay marriage backer pushed

WORCESTER— Tempers boiled over at an anti-gay marriage rally yesterday when the executive director of the Boston-based Catholic Citizenship emerged from behind a lectern outside City Hall, rushed toward a female counter-demonstrator, and pushed her to the ground.

Published in the Sunday Telegram today. Read about it at:

http://www.telegram.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061217/NEWS/612170507/1116

[Zerbie]

If anyone wants to contact Catholic Citizenship, I found the info:

Catholic Citizenship
198 Tremont Street
Suite 450
Boston MA 02116-4705
617-755-7668
info@catholicvote.org

[Daniel]

From the link:

“Four judges do not get to decide what sin is,” Mr. Cirignano said, as a chant of “Let the people vote” began to drown out the counter-demonstrators, who were outnumbered about 200 to 50.

Ms. Loy was holding a sign that read, “No discrimination in the Constitution” and counter-demonstrators were chanting, “You lost, go home, get over it,” when she was pushed to the ground. Afterward, Ms. Loy, in tears, arose and yelled to no one in particular, “That’s what hate does. That’s what hate does.”

Police responded by asking Ms. Loy and other counter-demonstrators to move behind the larger anti-gay marriage crowd. Ms. Loy argued that she had a right to stand wherever she wanted, but like others, agreed to move away.

Police interviewed Mr. Cirignano, but did not arrest him. Ms. Loy said she intended to file a complaint against him.

One police officer told her, “It is not acceptable for anyone to put their hands on you.” Ms. Loy responded, “That man was violating my rights to demonstrate peaceably.”

In a nutshell, isn't this what the whole matter of religious oppression is all about? There are those who want to enact legislation which amounts to hate-speech.

Why, I wonder, seeing that one officer concurred with Ms. Loy, wasn't the perpetrator arrested?

[novaseeker]

The ironic thing is that it's completely true that four judges don't get to decide what "sin" is ... but neither do the 200 members of the legislature get to decide what sin is!

It seems to me that the mask is off rather completely here, and the message is clear: let the legislature legislate what sin is!?! These folks are completely uninterested in pluralism, and do not believe in the state as a neutral area between various and diverse worldviews, religions and the like, and instead want to pass laws reflecting their own religious beliefs about what "sin" is.

It's Theocracy 101, and the mask is off.

[Vanessa White]

Daniel, I wondered the same thing. Why was this man not arrested, considering the fact that it was assault and battery? And, her being too close to the lectern, was there an issue of safety about that?! It was nothing short of physical violence and intimidation and he should have had to face the consequences for that type of impulsive behavior. She spoke very peacefully and eloquently.

[Zerbie]

I wondered about that too - told hubby about this article and he had a theory, since the man in question is quite a force in the Catholic community - possibly the police force in that area is predominantly Catholic, and if so maybe their sympathies lay with the perp. Just a straw to grasp at, possibly. :confused:

[Vanessa White]

Point well taken, given the religious forces that guide that city for years now. However, just in terms of the law as it is supposed to be followed, since when is it up to the victim of a crime to press the charges? In reality, I thought that if a crime is committed, it isn't up to the person who has been injured to file the complaint. Or is it?

[BenL]

Here's the followup on this story:

Anti-gay complaint is filed: Assault at Worcester (MA) rally

WORCESTER— Police have filed a criminal complaint against the executive director of Boston-based Catholic Citizenship on allegations he pushed a female counter-demonstrator to the ground during an anti-gay marriage rally Saturday outside City Hall.

Detective Capt. Edward J. McGinn Jr. said police yesterday filed an assault and battery complaint in Central District Court against Larry Cirignano, 50, of 15 County Lane, Canton, who heads the Catholic Citizenship group, which opposes gay marriage.

http://www.telegram.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061219/NEWS/612190733/1116

[Vanessa White]

Maybe justice does prevail after all.

[Daniel]

Yes! Let's hope this latest news that some 'teeth'.